Dear faithful readers (assuming that some actually exist!),

I rejoined the rotation to contribute to this column two years ago this month. At the time I suggested that I was a little reluctant to refer to myself as a “Christian” without adding the adjective “progressive.” I still feel that way to some extent, but I want to make clear that what I wish to say today is from an unequivocally authentic Christian perspective and commitment.

We live in tumultuously difficult and confusing times. Most of us from various political, cultural, philosophical and faith perspectives recognize that “things are bad” and that “things need to change.” But deciding on what changes should be made and how to accomplish them remains controversial, confusing and even divisive. What are we to do? What is the answer — or is there one?

A recent article on the Progressing Spirit website was entitled “Jesus DEI-ed For Us,” and effort to apply the life, teachings and death of Jesus of Nazareth to one of a current divisive issue of our time. As the “DEI issue” appeared on the pages of this newspaper recently it seemed appropriate to ask the question, what is a Christian response to this controversy?

What is it that Jesus says, and does, in regard to diversity? It seems like he “hung out” with all sorts of people — the poor, the better off, prostitutes, lepers, Roman centurions, fisherfolk, merchants, pharisees — all sorts of people. His friends and associates were quite diverse — he even invited himself to dinner at a despised tax collector’s home!

How about equity? The fundamental principle of his message was love, and it was to be applied to all without measure. Love for God, demonstrated by love for one’s neighbor, even love for our enemies. The most fundamental and profound expression of love is forgiveness. When asked how many times, it was “70 times seven,” an expression meaning an infinite number.

A fundamental truth of the Judeo-Christian tradition is inclusion. God created everything. God loves everything and everyone and Jesus was committed to helping the world, and all of us, to come to know and experience this.

One of my favorite expressions of this in scripture is John 3:17, “Indeed God did not send the son into the world not to condemn the world, but in order that the whole (emphasis mine) world might be saved through him.”

Then there is the story of his encounter with the Syro-Phonecian woman (Mark 7:24-30) in which he learns and affirms the expression of love though inclusion.

This is what Christian faith and practice can do for us. Through DEI we have the opportunity to live out a life full of compassion, generosity, concern for others, working to help everyone have a fair shake at life. It provides the groundwork and principles for us to deal with the difficult, divisive and confusing issues of life and lead us to “do better” (thank you, Bryon!).

What I have attempted to do in this column is provide an example of how the Gospel, the Good News of God as proclaimed by Jesus of Nazareth, is intimately intwined with the whole of our daily life, including our political activities. Jesus invites us to discover a better way for us to live together, one based on love, rather than self-interest. It is hard work at times, but if we seek to seek to respect and listen to one another, we can do it together.